There exists, over a certain depth from the surface of at least one face of substrates that are for the manufacture of components for microelectronics and/or optoelectronics, a layer of material which, at least partially, is a constituent of the components produced on this face. This layer will subsequently be denoted by the expression “working layer”.
The quality of this working layer and in particular that of its surface, for example in terms of roughness, conditions that of the components.
Continual research is being carried out to improve the quality of this working layer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,774, for example, provides a polishing process by which the surface of the working layer is polished with a roller, the rotational axis of which is parallel to this surface. However, polishing results in defects, such as work hardening defects, in the layer of material underlying the polished surface.